WICED SDK source code on Github

Tip / Sign in to post questions, reply, level up, and achieve exciting badges. Know more

cross mob
LiDu_4679831
Level 1
Level 1

Hi,

I saw the WICED SDK WiFi code was put on the AWS FreeRTOS repo on Github, for example: https://github.com/aws/amazon-freertos/blob/master/vendors/cypress/WICED_SDK/WICED/WWD/internal/wwd_...

amazon-freertos/wwd_ap.h at master · aws/amazon-freertos · GitHub

My question is does Cypress now allows the code to be redistributed on the Github or there is special requirements for that? From the header file in the above link, the banner really doesn't tell much. Thanks!

0 Likes
1 Solution

Hi,

a) Cypress provide some of the source code in application level to explain how the framework works and allow modifications at customer's convenience. The code doesn't touch the core IPs of WICED and It's a common usage on providing APIs / SDKs in publication.

------------------------------------------------

b) From CYPRESS END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT:

2. License.  Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, Cypress Semiconductor Corporation ("Cypress") and its suppliers grant to you a non-exclusive, non-transferable license under their copyright rights:

     a. to use the Development Tools in object code form solely for the purpose of creating Firmware, Drivers, Host Applications, and inf Files for Cypress hardware products; and

     b. if provided in Source Code form, to copy, modify, and compile the Firmware Source Code to create Firmware for execution on a Cypress hardware product, and (ii) to distribute Firmware in binary code form only, only when installed onto a Cypress hardware product; and

     c. if provided in Source Code form, to copy, modify, and compile the Driver Source Code to create one or more Drivers to enable the use of a Cypress hardware product on a particular host operating system, and (ii) to distribute the Driver, in binary code form only, only when installed on a device that includes the Cypress hardware product that the Driver is intended to enable; and

     d. if provided in Source Code form, to copy, modify, and compile the Host Application Source Code to create one or more Host Applications to program, control, or communicate with a Cypress hardware product, and (ii) to distribute Host Applications, in binary code form only, only when installed on a device that includes a Cypress hardware product that the Host Application is intended to program, control, or communicate with; and

     e. to freely distribute any inf File.

Any distribution of Software permitted under this Agreement must be made pursuant to your standard end user license agreement used for your proprietary (closed source) software products, such end user license agreement to include, at a minimum, provisions limiting your licensors' liability and prohibiting reverse engineering of the Software, consistent with such provisions in this Agreement.

So if you confirm your usage falls in the above range, I think it's okay to go. But I think it gives a very restricted range here.

------------------------------------------------

c) I think the project Amazon-FreeRTOS is a bit different than what you think. Amazon-FreeRTOS is a project Cypress voluntarily participate in and is aware of. You can see that we have our branch of Amazon-FreeRTOS published to Cypress GitHub channel. Therefore we are one of the developers of Amazon-FreeRTOS and as we own the copyright of WICED SDK / WWD, we can decide how to redistribute the code.

It's not that Amazon-FreeRTOS merged our code and redistributed it. Instead, we explicitly contribute our part to Amazon-FreeRTOS. So it's not the case you can refer to.

And it's seldom seen that our customers used WICED SDK / WWD and then redistributed it in opensource form. So I think we don't have much information on doing this.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Sincere regards from​ C. L.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>

View solution in original post

3 Replies
Charles_Lai
Moderator
Moderator
Moderator
500 replies posted 250 solutions authored 250 sign-ins

Hi,

What you are seeing are the header files. WICED SDK / WWD always provides header files for programming usage, not matter in GItHub or the traditional distribution channel. But the implementation files can be private and invisible to avoid licensing violation.

What you are seeing are not related to redistribution issue. Hosting in GitHub doesn't mean it's free for redistribution. And WICED SDK is not an opensource software.

If you are planning to redistribute WICED SDK / WWD, you can refer to the following CYPRESS-END-USER-LICENSE-AGREEMENT at first.

https://cypresssemiconductorco.github.io/btsdk-docs/BT-SDK/CYPRESS-END-USER-LICENSE-AGREEMENT.txt

<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Sincere regards from​ C. L.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Thank you for the detailed explanation. But I also saw the .c files in the repo as well for example: amazon-freertos/wwd_internal.c at master · aws/amazon-freertos · GitHub

So just to clarify my question a little bit. If we want to open source a project that uses the Cypress WiFi module, do we have to include the WiFi driver as binary or it's okay to include them as source files like AWS did as long as the project itself is not use a free for redistribution license (e.g. MIT). Thanks again for the help!

Regards,

Liya

0 Likes

Hi,

a) Cypress provide some of the source code in application level to explain how the framework works and allow modifications at customer's convenience. The code doesn't touch the core IPs of WICED and It's a common usage on providing APIs / SDKs in publication.

------------------------------------------------

b) From CYPRESS END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT:

2. License.  Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, Cypress Semiconductor Corporation ("Cypress") and its suppliers grant to you a non-exclusive, non-transferable license under their copyright rights:

     a. to use the Development Tools in object code form solely for the purpose of creating Firmware, Drivers, Host Applications, and inf Files for Cypress hardware products; and

     b. if provided in Source Code form, to copy, modify, and compile the Firmware Source Code to create Firmware for execution on a Cypress hardware product, and (ii) to distribute Firmware in binary code form only, only when installed onto a Cypress hardware product; and

     c. if provided in Source Code form, to copy, modify, and compile the Driver Source Code to create one or more Drivers to enable the use of a Cypress hardware product on a particular host operating system, and (ii) to distribute the Driver, in binary code form only, only when installed on a device that includes the Cypress hardware product that the Driver is intended to enable; and

     d. if provided in Source Code form, to copy, modify, and compile the Host Application Source Code to create one or more Host Applications to program, control, or communicate with a Cypress hardware product, and (ii) to distribute Host Applications, in binary code form only, only when installed on a device that includes a Cypress hardware product that the Host Application is intended to program, control, or communicate with; and

     e. to freely distribute any inf File.

Any distribution of Software permitted under this Agreement must be made pursuant to your standard end user license agreement used for your proprietary (closed source) software products, such end user license agreement to include, at a minimum, provisions limiting your licensors' liability and prohibiting reverse engineering of the Software, consistent with such provisions in this Agreement.

So if you confirm your usage falls in the above range, I think it's okay to go. But I think it gives a very restricted range here.

------------------------------------------------

c) I think the project Amazon-FreeRTOS is a bit different than what you think. Amazon-FreeRTOS is a project Cypress voluntarily participate in and is aware of. You can see that we have our branch of Amazon-FreeRTOS published to Cypress GitHub channel. Therefore we are one of the developers of Amazon-FreeRTOS and as we own the copyright of WICED SDK / WWD, we can decide how to redistribute the code.

It's not that Amazon-FreeRTOS merged our code and redistributed it. Instead, we explicitly contribute our part to Amazon-FreeRTOS. So it's not the case you can refer to.

And it's seldom seen that our customers used WICED SDK / WWD and then redistributed it in opensource form. So I think we don't have much information on doing this.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Sincere regards from​ C. L.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>